A few days ago I was listening to Clare FM, Trad archives, unknown program. There was a recording of a man singing in Irish, the Lament of the Three Mary’s. I listened twice, then (foolishly) closed the window, went to get my ‘songcatcher’, and returned to the computer only to find that the entire Clare FM archive page was kaput!
Well, Clare FM archives are back, but I can’t for the life of me find the program…so it may be over a week old at this point.
Any chance of anyone (Peter???) knowing the recording I’m looking for?
If it was a more recent recording - and a younger singer - Sean Corcoran recorded it on a “Cran” CD. I also have a feeling Iarla O’Lionard recorded it somewhere too. Peter’s guess of Joe Heaney sounds like a good bet though.
Of course, Peter. It never occurred to me that the recording would have been made so many years ago. Joe Heaney would probably have been younger when he made his recording than Sean Corcoran was when he recorded it with “Cran”.
No red faces please, I was actually responding to the Tygress’ ‘sounding like an older man’. The Gael Linn 78 rpms were recorded between 57 and 61 or there abouts. Heaney was born in 1919.
Joe also sang that on his Topic LP, which is early 60s I think.
Did you read that Peter Kennedy posting on Mudcat, Peter? Apparently Kennedy overdubbed some backup to Joe’s singing!
You’re listening to sean-nos and you don’t know what Joe Heaney sounds like! http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/heaney.htm has interviews with Joe - you’ll need to click on the links at the top of the page - these pages have Real Audio files of some of his songs.
Still, I feel that the sound I heard was not of a young man or a ‘modern’ recording. And the jury is out until I get the CD and hear for myself. Or were you listening to the program, Peter, and know that Heaney was the one? As I mentioned before, I can’t be sure, but I thought the announcer said something about a CD with both Irish and English songs, which doesn’t accurately describe what I just ordered, but still it will be interesting.
Kevin, I’m having major arguments with my computer which doesn’t want to play the Real Audio files. Rhapsody keeps opening up and playing what IT wants to play. (grumble) We’ll see if the machine upstairs is more cooperative.
There are a couple Joe CDs at Amazon, you might be able to hear those samples. Dunno if Rhapsody will play Real Aud files.
“Joe Heaney was fond of telling a story about the time that the American television host Merv Griffin visited Ireland. At a local pub, Griffin was astonished to see a particular photograph on the wall. “That’s my doorman!” he exclaimed. “That,” the bartender solemnly declared, “is Ireland’s greatest traditional musician.””
